Gold Star Bash a Great Addition to Highline

Barb Rogers is recognized as classified employee of the year

If you attended the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence's first Gold Star Bash, you saw for yourself what a great time it was. Everybody else - come on out next year!

The Bash was designed by the Foundation with two objectives:

• Recognize the nominees and Gold Star selection more publicly
• Create an event people who can't usually go to the fundraiser breakfast can attend
• Have fun

People entered the Production Shop to a red carpet

Wait, that's three! But I think the last thing is what people will remember. The event brought together nearly 200 staff, parents, and community. There were refreshments and music, mingling and dancing. This year's Bash was held at The Production Shop in Burien, a retro themed auto shop turned urban chic event space. It was the perfect place...for this year. I'm predicting next year will have an even larger signup and they might need a bigger space.

While the birth of a new community event was the big story, there were some great recognitions as well.

• Darcy Smith from McMicken Heights Elementary was named teacher of the year. Darcy could not be more deserving - she is getting amazing results with her kids.
• Barb Rogers took home the award for classified staff. Barb is as generous as the day is long, and her upbeat nature is a true inspiration to any of us who hope to work in education for the long run.
• Astha Tada was recognized for her volunteer work. Astha was librarian at Cascade when I first met her and in her "retirement" she has been a tireless advocate for public library access in the White Center and Boulevard Park communites.
• David Sabey won the second annual award for alumni. He has been a huge success since graduating from Highline High School.

Finally, a few nice things were said about yours truly that evening. Thanks for that and know that I look good mostly due to the many accolades that our prinicapls, teachers, and staff generate every day. All of you are the ones who generate so much goodwill for the district, so thanks from me to you.